Britney Teaches Kids to Kick Up Their Heels

For a group of L.A.-area kids with dreams of being a dancer, a lesson from a famous hoofer is a memorable experience — and when that dancer happens to be Britney Spears, it's sure to be a day they'll never forget!

And that's exactly what's happening Monday night at the Millennium Dance Studio in North Hollywood, where the recently troubled star is continuing to try to get her life back in order by doing what she does best — entertaining. Except tonight, it's not just a couple of friends or family members looking on as Brit rehearses for her upcoming video shoot — it's a group of pre-adolescent dance students.

Brit arrived at Millennium, a favorite refuge of hers, around 6 p.m. PT on Monday, hidden from the paparazzi. She was greeted by a group of eight children ages 4-9 — and certainly more than a few star-struck parents. An eyewitness tells OK! that Britney went up to each child and asked them their name and whether they liked Madonna, because that was the song they would be dancing to this evening.

Maya Meek, whose 8-year-old son is in the class, tells OK!, "He didn't really know who Britney was, though he dances to all of her music. So when I told him 'this is the lady who makes all the songs you like,' he got very excited," says Meek. "He learned about Britney through Jamie Lynn, because he's a big fan of Zoey 101."

Even though Britney could easily charge an enormous amount of cash for tonight's lesson, she's working on a volunteer basis, and it isn't the first time. Britney has shared her years of dance experience with pre-teen hopefuls before. In the not-so-distant past, she would often pop in for surprise tutorials at Millennium.

Just before 6:30 p.m. PT, one of Britney's assitants came down to talk to the waiting mothers outside the studio, and told them that the kids were all doing "amazingly well" and that they were following every step. The assistant said Britney had a second assistant dancing behind the kids so that when they turned during their routine, they'd have someone behind them to follow.

Class ended at 6:50 p.m. An eyewitness tells OK! that the kids learned a variety of fun dances, including "the fish," "the swim" and "the choo choo train" in which the kids grabbed onto each other and hopped around like a train making choo choo noises. Brit then had the kids show off some of their own moves. The group formed a circle and each one got to dance alone in the center of the circle.

All in all, it sounds like everyone had a good time tonight, including Britney. Let's only hope that these lessons, like her regular rehearsals, become part of Brit's new career-focused routine!